CONSTITUTION OF THE |
As amended on 12 October 2001.
1 . NAME
The Society shall be called the Italian Medical Society of Great Britain and is hereinafter referred to as the Society.
2. OBJECTS
The object of the Society shall be to promote the development of medical knowledge in all its aspects for the benefit of the public and in particular but not so as to limit the generality of the foregoing:
2.1 to promote the highest standards of professional competence and ethics;
2.2 to promote the education and training of Italian speaking doctors in medicine;
2.3 to promote academic links amongst its members and other medical organisations;
2.4 To provide a professionally qualified point of reference for patients seeking medical assistance in Great Britain;
2.5 to undertake all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any or all of these objects and do all such other lawful things as shall further these objects.
3. POWERS
In furtherance of the objects but not otherwise the Society may:
3.1 purchase, take or lease or in exchange, receive by way of gift, grant or otherwise, hire or in any other manner acquire any real or personal property and any rights or privileges which the Society may think fit or desirable for the promotion of its objects or any of them, and to construct maintain or alter any buildings or erections necessary or desirable for the work of the Society, but subject to such consents as may be required by law
3.2 sell, let, mortgage, dispose of, or turn to account, all or any property or assets of the Society as may be thought expedient with a view to the promotion of its objects, subject to such consents as may be required by law
3.3 borrow or raise money for the purpose of the Society on such terms and on such security as may be thought fit
3.4 invest the moneys of the Society not immediately required for its purposes in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be determined by the Society
4. NON-POLITICAL STATUS OF THE SOCIETY
The Society is entirely non-political. The aims of the Society are alterable but only if the charitable objects are maintained.
5. MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the Society shall be in two principal classes:
5.1 Honourary Members, elected by the Society as a mark of respect in recognition of distinguished contributions to medicine, or in recognition of their distinguished contribution towards furthering the aims & objectives of the Society.
5.2 Members, who shall be divided in two categories:
5.2.1 Full Member, is one who is a graduate permanently resident in the UK;
5.2.2 Associate Member, is one who is a graduate but is not permanently resident in the UK.
5.3 The founding Members of the Society are:
Professor S. M. Aloj, Dr G. G. Abbondati, Professor
G. F. Bottazzo, Dr M. G. Impallomeni, Mr U. Pastorino, Mr G. Querci della
Rovere.
6. SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
6.1 An Annual Scientific Meeting shall be held in every calendar year and, unless the Executive Committee otherwise determine, shall be held in London and during the last quarter of each year.
6.2 Additional Scientific Meetings shall be held at the discretion of the Executive Committee. Additional Scientific Meetings may be arranged in conjunction with other organisations, and may be held in countries other than the UK.
6.3 The business transacted at Scientific Meetings shall consist of scientific communications and/or clinical case or other demonstrations, and, at meetings held in the UK, the election of the members.
6.4 The dates of all Scientific Meetings for the ensuing year shall be notified to all members at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Formal notice of each Scientific Meeting, together with a programme or the meeting, abstracts of the papers to be presented, and lists of candidates for membership, shall be sent to all subscribing members at least ten days before the scheduled date of the meeting.
7. BUSINESS MEETINGS
7.1 An Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held on the occasion of the Annual Scientific Meeting, and the business to be transacted shall include:-
7.1.1 consideration of reports from the Executive Committee
and the Treasurer;
7.1.2 election of Officers and members of the Executive
Committee;
7.1.3 election of an Honourary Auditor, Solicitor.
7.2 An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Executive Committee whenever they think fit, and by the Secretary if so required by the President, or within one month from the receipt of a requisition in writing signed by not less than 50% of the voting members stating the purpose for which an Extraordinary General Meeting is being requisitioned.
7.3 The Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct a postal ballot on any issue that they consider appropriate. The notice of ballot shall specify the period, not being less than twenty-one days from the date of the notice, within which members shall be required to cast their vote. The results of a ballot shall not be binding on the Society, unless 50% or more voting members cast their vote.
7.4 Voting Members of the Society may move formal resolutions at any Business Meeting providing that, no less than twenty eight days before that date of the meeting, they give due notice in writing thereof to the Secretary and at the same time, submit a copy of such resolution.
7.5 Formal notice of an agenda paper for each Business Meeting shall be sent to all members at least fourteen days before the scheduled date of the meeting.
7.6 The quorum for a Business Meeting shall be 10 voting members present in person.
7.7 Subject to article 12 hereof questions shall be determined at Business Meetings by a simple majority on a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by the Chairman of the Meeting or by at least three voting members present in person. A poll shall be taken in such a manner and at such time as the chairman may direct.
7.8 A casting vote may be exercised by the chairman of the meeting or, for a postal ballot, by the President of the Society.
8. OFFICERS
8.1 The Officers of the Society shall be: the President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the President-elect, the Secretary-elect, the Treasurer-elect.
8.2 Only Full Members of the Society shall be eligible for election to office, and nominations for office shall require the support of two Full Members.
8.3 Officers shall be elected at an AGM of the Society for a two years term and shall assume their duties on the 1st January following that meeting unless an earlier date is agreed at the AGM.
8.4 After the President, Secretary and treasurer have held office for two years the President Elect, the Secretary Elect and Treasurer Elect (the Officers Elect) shall, unless another candidate is elected, succeed to the respective offices of President, Secretary and Treasure.
8.5 In the event of an officer being unable to complete his term of office, his designated successor shall become the Officer, he/she shall remain in office for a further 2 years from the next AGM. In the event of an Officer Elect being unable to complete his term of office the Council shall nominate a member to carry out his duties till the next AGM.
8.6 Apart from Officers Elect succeeding to office no Officer shall be eligible to stand for office or serve on the Executive Committee for 1 (one) year after holding office, unless no other member is willing to stand.
8.7 The President shall be Chairman of any meetings he attends, in his absence the meeting shall elect a Chairman.
8.8 All cheques shall be signed by two officers of the Society
9. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
9.1 The governing body of the Society shall be the Executive Committee and shall consist of the President, the President-elect, the Secretary, the Secretary-elect, the Treasurer, the Treasurer-elect, and four Full Members (Ordinary Members).
9.2 Only Full Members of the Society shall be eligible for election to officers of the Committee and nominations shall require the Support of two Full Members.
9.3 Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting of the Society, and shall assume their duties on the 1st January following that meeting, unless an earlier date is agreed at the AGM. If an ordinary member does not attend at least three Council Meetings per year his membership shall lapse. The period of office of Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee shall be limited to two years, but without prejudice to their eligibility to be elected as an Officer within or immediately after such period. Upon expiration of such term a member shall not be eligible to serve on the Executive Committee for one year.
9.4 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for deciding the arrangements for all meetings and other business of the Society. Three Executive Committee members shall form a quorum. The Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt and to set up sub-committees.
9.5 The Executive Committee shall usually meet on every occasion that a meeting of the Society is held in the United Kingdom, and on such other occasions as they or the President consider necessary. The Counci's meetings shall be open to ordinary members of the Society who shall not, however, have the right to vote.
9.6 The Executive Committee shall determine the Society's representation on other bodies but without contravening the Society's aims.
10. ELECTIONS
10.1 Eight weeks before the AGM the following shall be notified to members:
10.1.1 the names of the Officers and Ordinary Members
of the Executive Committee due to retire at the end of the year,
10.1.2 the names of the Officers Elect due to take
over designated offices.
10.2 On receipt of such notice, any Full Member of the Society may propose alternative candidates for Office or for Ordinary Membership of the Executive Committee by sending in writing the name of each candidate supported by the endorsement of another Full Member of the Society and the consent of the candidate to the Secretary to arrive not less than four weeks before the scheduled date of the Annual General Meeting. Proposals received after this date will be declared invalid.
10.3 If candidates for Office are nominated in excess of the number of vacancies available, the Secretary shall send a ballot paper to each voting Member not less than fourteen days before the scheduled date of the Annual General Meeting, Voting Members shall record their votes and return the ballot paper to the Secretary. Voting papers received after the commencement of the Annual General Meeting shall be void. Scrutineers may be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to count the votes, and the results shall be announced at the meeting. The candidates securing the largest number of votes shall be elected to the vacancies that exist.
10.4 In the event of no nominations having been received within four weeks of the scheduled date of the AGM for a particular office or insufficient nominations having been received to fill the vacancies for the Ordinary Members of the Executive Committee, nominations may be made at the AGM by a Full Member supported by a second Full Member. Appointment to this vacancies will then be decided by majority vote by those members who attend and vote at the AGM. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless a poll is demanded by the Chairman of the meeting or by at least three voting members present in person. A poll shall be taken in such a manner and in such time as the Chairman shall direct.
11. GENERAL BUSINESS
11.1 A calendar year shall be used for the Society's business and the accounts shall be made up to 31st December in each year.
11.2 The income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this Constitution, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the Members of the Society, provided that nothing shall prevent the payment, in good faith of reasonable and proper remuneration and out-of-pocket expenses to any officer or servant of the Society, or to any member of the Society not being a member of the Executive Committee, in return for any services actually rendered to the Society, nor prevent the payment of interest on money lent by a member of the Society at the rate per annum not exceeding 2% less than the base rate of (Clearing Bank) or 3% whichever is the greater, or any reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the Society.
11.3 The Society's Accounts shall be audited each year by an Honourary Auditor elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Honourary Auditor's report shall be published with the Society's Annual Report and Statement of Accounts.
12. HONOURS
12.1 It shall be the duty of the President-elect to review each year the claims of possible candidates for the award of honours by the Society. The President-elect shall report on these matters to the Executive Committee, and decisions shall be taken by the Committee.
12.2 Every year, at their discretion, the Executive Committee shall, as a mark of distinction appoint an orator to deliver the Malpighi Oration at the Annual Scientific Meeting.
13. AFFILIATION
The Society can be affiliated to other Societies with similar aims.
14. THE CONSTITUTION
14.1 The Executive Committee shall have the power to make, vary and repeal Bye Laws and Regulations for the conduct of the general affairs of the Society, its officers and servants, and for the dispatch of the business of the Society, but so that no such Bye Laws or Regulations shall be of effect if and so far as they are inconsistent with or repugnant to the provisions of the Constitution.
14.2 Notice of any proposal to amend or alter this Constitution must be sent to the Secretary not less than four weeks before an Extraordinary General Meeting or the next ensuing Annual General Meeting. Such proposal will be circulated to all members and will appear on the agenda of the said meeting in the form of a motion. The quorum for amendments to the Constitution shall be one third of all Voting Members present in person, and the proposed amendment shall require the support of two thirds of the Voting Members present to be passed. If a quorum shall not be present, the Executive Committee shall be empowered to conduct a postal ballot on the motion, and in these circumstances the proposed amendments shall require the Support of two thirds of the votes cast and received by the Secretary by a date to be specified on the notice of ballot.
14.3 The Society may, at any time, by a resolution passed in a General Meeting in accordance with the terms of Article 14.2, be wound up and dissolved and in that event the books and records of the Society shall be disposed of in accordance with the directions of the Executive Committee and all other property of the Society shall be transferred to such charitable body or bodies whether incorporated or note as shall be specified by the resolution for winding up, provided that such charitable body or bodies has or have objects analogous to the objects of the Society, and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.
15. PROPERTY OF THE SOCIETY
The title of all any real or personal property which may be acquired by or for the purposes of Society be vested in trustees appointed by the Executive Committee.
1. Subscription
1.1 The rates of subscription, as from 1st January 2000, are:
Full membership £ 5O.OO (Reduced to £ 25.00 for members residing outside the London Orbital, M25)
Associate membership £ 15.00 (Members living outside the British Isles)
These shall be reviewed annually at the Annual General Meeting.
1.2 Subscription rates apply to a calendar year or part
thereof and are due annually on 1st January. Members who have not
renewed their membership within the end of March, despite a reminder from
the Hon. Treasurer, shall be considered lapsed; their names will be withdrawn
from the Members and mailing list. Members elected at the Annual General
Meeting shall not be liable for Subscription until the 1st January immediately
following. The subscription of members elected at Scientific Meetings
shall be due within twenty-one days of election, but only one half the
annual subscription shall be due for the year of election from members
elected after 1st July.
2. Attendance at Meetings
2.1 A copy of the current list of members of the Society shall be available at the Annual General Meeting, and every member shall be required to record his/her attendance at this meeting by signing alongside their name.
2.2 Visitors may be introduced to the Society's Scientific Meetings at the discretion of the President. Visitors may participate in all business at Scientific Meetings, except for the election of Members.
3. Scientific Meetings
3.1 The Secretary shall determine the programme for Scientific Meetings, after discussion with the Executive Committee as necessary.
3.2 Scientific communications for presentation at Scientific Meetings shall be prepared in accordance with such instructions as the Executive Committee may from time to time determine.
3.3 The Executive Committee shall assess all abstracts of Scientific Communications Submitted to them entirely on merit and shall make their decision on the acceptability of the material without knowledge of authorship or the institution wherein the work was done.
4. Location of Meetings
The initiative for inviting the Society to hold
a Scientific Meeting at a particular location rests with individual members
5 . Publications
The Society is empowered to publish such material as the
Executive Committee, after agreement at the Annual General Meeting, shall
deem necessary.
This Constitution was adopted on the date mentioned above
by the persons whose signatures appear at the bottom of this document:-
__________________________
President - Mr G. Querci Della Rovere
__________________________
President Elect - Dr Mario Impallomeni
__________________________
Secretary - Mr Luca Fusi
______________________________
Secretary Elect - Dr Maurizio Renna
__________________________
Treasurer - Dr Marina Botto
__________________________
Treasurer Elect - Dr Lucio Fumi